Rhineland-Palatinate: Lovers of Rheinhessen wines should know these varieties

Rheinhessen is the largest wine-growing region in Germany. And the winemakers here are particularly innovative. For example, with new grape varieties, the names of which probably mean nothing to many people.

Souvignier gris, Cabernet blanc, Calardis blanc or Sauvignac: these are the grape varieties that wine connoisseurs will have to get used to in the future. The classic varieties will probably not die out, but climate change and the desire of many winegrowers to use fewer pesticides will increase the variety of varieties in the vineyard.

New varieties such as PIWIs are gaining importance

According to the German Wine Institute in Bodenheim, the area of ​​vineyards on which winegrowers are growing new varieties is around three percent nationwide. But the trend is increasing. Because of the hot summers, white wine grapes do not develop enough acidity. But this is important for the taste. New grape varieties did not have this problem.

In addition, many grape fungal diseases can arise in damp weather. However, the so-called PIWI grapes are resistant to infections such as powdery mildew, for example the new varieties Souvignier gris and Cabernet blanc.

Fewer Plant protection products In Rhenish-Hessian Vineyards

For the winegrowers, this means that they have to spray fewer pesticides and have less work in the vineyard overall. They also save on petrol or diesel because they don’t have to go out as often as before.

Pioneer for new grape varieties in Rheinhessen

There are wineries in Rheinhessen that are already very effectively driving the transition to new grape varieties. According to the German Wine Institute, the Abtshof in Hahnheim has already planted 40 percent of its vineyards with new varieties.

Eva Vollmer from Mainz-Ebersheim, together with others, started the “Zukunftswein” initiative, in which winemakers from several European countries are involved. Last year she won the “German Sustainability Award for Design” for this. Vollmer says she will revolutionize winemaking and work for more climate protection.

Is the trend also moving towards old grape varieties?

There are always winemakers who devote themselves to old varieties that were thought to be extinct long ago. The Schauf winery in Guntersblum, for example, offers a Muscabona – possibly the only wine of this variety in the world.

Ulrich Martin grows a whole collection of old varieties in his vineyard nursery in Gundheim and makes wine from them. These include exotic names such as Grünedel, Gelber Kleinberger and Schwarzurban – a grape that has been known since the Middle Ages.

But the vast majority of these varieties will remain niche products, says Ernst Büscher of the German Wine Institute. “There was a reason why they were no longer grown at some point,” he explains. Among other things, their taste was not long-term. He believes that varieties such as Riesling or the various Burgundies will remain. Nevertheless, in his view, the market will open up more and more to new varieties. Whether the respective varieties are then developed over the long term is ultimately up to the customer.